We don't know the car's service history and don't know whether the A/C system has ever been recharged. That said, the source of the leak might be the compressor shaft seal. Since the system hasn't been run for at least a few years, it could be a lack of oil at the seal causing the (only??) leak. The...

The under-hood decal always takes precedence over all other specs. If given a range like the decal indicates, I would charge it to the maximum amount by weighing the refrigerant into a well-held vacuum, then checking the pressures and center vent temperatures. If performance is satisfactory, I would...

I've never seen that happen with a clutch-less variable-displacement compressor, either. Normally, the rubber ring should sheer and slip before the mainshaft snaps if the compressor seizes. Could have been a sudden compressor seizure while the engine was running at higher RPM, or possibly, a metallu...

You're planning to keep it R-12, so I too would replace the compressor since the R4 is not exactly known for it's trouble-free performance. You definitely don't want to get the system nicely evacuated and re-charged with precious R-12, and then have the rebuilt compressor go out shortly thereafter, ...

With that information, would it be worth a try to fill with r-134? I know that it's going to need hoses, all new o rings and a drier. But I'm primarily keen to see if the compressor works and get some uv dye into it to see if any leaks develop in other components (condenser and evap specifically). ...

I had my mechanic diagnose my a/c (this vehicle is a ford e350 v10 van). Burst hose caused by compressor failure. He says replace those items, we agreed to replace condenser, broken lines, and flush the rest (has 2 evaporators). ... . For the best responses, I suggest starting a new topic for your ...

It's important to replace the R/D each time you open the system to the atmosphere. Not sure why the shop said not to. Also, install the new R/D last to minimize moisture absorption into the desiccant. Good that you can remove the TXV from the engine compartment side of the firewall. That should make...

There was almost zero pressure in the system when I hooked up the gauges (which I suspected). The system barely went pfft when I opened the low side. No pfft at all on the high. So I vac'd the system down for 3 hours, then closed off the pump side of the gauges. I did not expect it to hold vacuum. ...

Been thinking about your post since you wrote in this morning. As tbirdtbird said, you can flush both the evaporator and condenser due to their designs. But as he also astutely pointed out, you don't know whether the exterior of the evaporator is plugged with debris without removing it. I also agree...

As mentioned earlier, it's not a good idea to jumper anything--not permanently anyway. If what you're dealing with is an undercharge--and we don't yet know for sure--you'll "starve" the compressor of oil, and it will quickly destroy itself internally. I was also about to say that your LPCO...